www.flagshipnews.com | The Flagship | Section 1 | Thursday, July 13, 2023
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IN THIS ISSUE HII celebrates first meal aboard Virginia-class submarine New Jersey HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division moved another step closer toward delivery of Virginia-class submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) to the U.S. Navy when the first meal was recently served aboard the nuclear-powered fast attack submarine. Page A2 VOL. 31, NO. 24, Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com
July 13-July 19, 2023
NORFOLK, VA (June 30, 2023) Capt. Janet Days, commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk, presents a trophy to the Naval Air Station Airmen team after they had won the 2023 Navy World Series Throwback Softball game at McClure Field onboard NNAVSTA Norfolk June 30. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the 1943 Navy World Series Baseball game, which, in the past, saw many Major League baseball players at the time competing on McClure Field. (U.S. NAVY PHOTOS BY MC2 JOSEPH T. MILLER)
NAVSTA Norfolk hosts 2023 Navy World Series Throwback Softball Game By MC2 Joseph T. Miller
NORFOLK,Va.—NavalStation(NAVSTA) Norfolk hosted the 2023 Navy World Series Throwback Softball Game at McClure Field June 30, 2023. Pre-game activities kicked off at 11 a.m. and were followed by the first pitch at 12 p.m. The Navy World Series Throwback Softball Game commemorates the 80th anniversary of the 1943 Navy World Series Baseball games, which pitted the Naval Training Station Blue Jackets against the Naval Air Station Airmen. This historic series ran for seven games and featured a lineup of some of the biggest Major League Baseball players of the time including Phil Rizzuto, Pee Wee Reese, Dominic DiMaggio, Bob Feller and Eddie Robinson. The games all took place in the storied McClure field named for Capt. Henry McClure the commanding officer at the time of the series. Originally built in 1918 as an all-purpose athletics field, McClure Field was rebuilt and opened as a baseball stadium on June 12, 1920, making it the second oldest brickbuilt baseball stadium in the United States. It gained its modern name after Capt. McClure
NORFOLK, VA (June 30, 2023) Team captains for the Naval Training Station Blue Jackets and Naval Air Station Airmen shake hands after going over the rules for the 2023 Navy World Series Throwback Softball game at McClure Field onboard Naval Station Norfolk.
declared the Navy World Series a success and heavily promoted the playing of baseball as a great way to boost Sailor morale.
However, the excitement and importance of the original Navy World Series was not viewable to the general public and press of
the time. This was due to the threat of hostile German U-boats reported to be off the coast, causing the entire base to be closed down to anyone except the Sailors who worked there. This closing off led to only a short three paragraph article on the game in the New York Times despite the presence of famous baseball players. While the series may be lesser known to the public, the Morale, Recreation and Welfare (MWR) personnel and Sailors on Naval Station Norfolk keep its memory alive each year with a tribute softball game. “Naval Station Norfolk is entrenched in history and heritage, and this annual event pays homage to that,” said Capt. Janet Days, Naval Station Norfolk’s commanding officer. “We look forward to this event every year where we can celebrate this historic field and the Major League Baseball players that played there 80 years ago!” After six innings, the Naval Air Station Airmen finally scored the first run and continued on the streak. Each team played hard going toe-to-toe and in the end the Naval Air Station Airmen defeated the Naval Training Station Blue Jackets with a score of six to three.
FRCE ground support shop equips aircraft lines for success Kimberly Koonce
Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs
Chase Becton, powered support systems mechanic in the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) ground support shop, performs preventive maintenance on a hydraulic test stand. FRCE’s Ground Support Branch repairs and maintains more than 2,000 items of support equipment, including aircraft safety stands, powered transportation and test equipment, and electric carts. (PHOTO
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — A small team of mechanics at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) keeps the production lines rolling at the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. FRCE’s Ground Support Branch repairs and maintains the vital ground support equipment used to move aircraft, transport parts, test systems and perform other critical functions that support aircraft production efforts at the depot. FRCE’s Ground Support Branch is responsible for maintaining and repairing more than 2,000 items of ground support equipment necessary for operations for FRCE’s main facility at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point and detachments located at MCAS New River, the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston, and MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Dependable ground support equipment is a key factor in successful aircraft maintenance efforts, said Don McLean, overhaul and repair supervisor on FRCE’s V-22 Osprey production line. “Work platforms and stands allow us to do our jobs safely, and we need test equipment to perform functional tests on aircraft, “McLean said. “We can’t do what we do without the equipment and
BY KIMBERLY KOONCE, FLEET READINESS CENTER EAST)
Turn to FRCE, Page 6
Naval Air Force Atlantic Sailors ‘Lace Up’ for a Fun Run at Mount Trashmore Park www.flagshipnews.com
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Approximately 40 Sailors started the morning with group warm-up exercises before beginning to run around the park’s perimeter. The event focused on comradery among Sailors and their Chiefs while promoting physical fitness. Page A5
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